51·çÁ÷

Unit 1: Variation in Productions Systems, in 51·çÁ÷’s Lean Construction Education Program, is now available. Variation in Production Systems is a four-hour course that will be offered locally at 51·çÁ÷ Chapters across the country. Following completion of this course, participants will be able to:

The 51·çÁ÷ Lean Construction Forum is an inclusive and collaborative community that is open to anyone with an interest in lean construction processes.  The Forum website provides information on the latest Forum activities, lean-related articles, a searchable database of lean resources and a discussion tool that allows Forum members to share information and ask questions. 

Construction employment increased in December by 17,000 driven by gains in nonresidential construction employment, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released today by 51·çÁ÷.

After much uncertainty, late last week Congress struck a deal to collectively pass the remaining appropriations measures for FY 2012. The legislation, (H.R. 3671, H. Rept. 112-331) funds the federal agencies under the remaining nine Appropriations bills, including: Defense, Energy and Water, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior/Environment, Labor/Health and Human Services/Education, the Legislative Branch, Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, and State/Foreign Operations. 51·çÁ÷ has advocated for this measure to come together to ensure predictability for the FY 2012 federal construction programs for both the construction industry as well as the government.

The last twelve months have been interesting, aggravating and not very productive. Between Election Day 2010 and Christmas Day 2010, the President, House and Senate agreed to a continuing resolution that funded the government through March, they agreed to an extension of the Bush tax rates, an extension of emergency unemployment benefits and a payroll tax holiday that reduced the employee portion of funds withheld for social security.

Construction projects are increasingly more complex. Cash is now the grand emperor of survival and competition for fewer jobs is intense. Contractors must do more with fewer resources and greater cooperation is needed to have successful projects. Come learn about how Lean Construction processes deliver solutions that work. This webinar will introduce the basic principles and three proven techniques of Lean applied to construction.

The 51·çÁ÷ IPD and Lean Construction Building Conference was held Sept. 21-24, 2011 in San Antonio, Texas with a record attendance of more than 230 participants.  Building construction contractors, construction project owners, design professionals, attorneys, suppliers and service suppliers came together to hear from an excellent line-up of industry experts about the impact of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and Lean Construction on the construction industry.

Emerging changes in construction activity indicate 2011 may be the year of the specialty contractor more than the general. While overall construction spending remains flat, several niches look promising. Other categories will soon shrink, however. Here’s a tip sheet for which segments to seek or avoid.

Specialty Contractors Council vice chair Rick Pate (Pate Landscape Co. Inc., Montgomery, Ala.) was featured in the March/April Constructor magazine in a feature article, Going Public With It. 

Specialty contractors from 51·çÁ÷ Chapters across the country comprise the 51·çÁ÷ of America Specialty Contractors Council (SCC).  Each Chapter has the ability to nominate one individual to the SCC and an additional individual for every one hundred of the Chapter’s specialty contractor member firms.  More than 80 51·çÁ÷ members began new one-year terms on the SCC following the 51·çÁ÷ Annual Convention in March.